


i know you've seen it all before (but you haven't seen the lonely side of her)

by coffee_music_books



Category: Wynonna Earp (TV)
Genre: F/F, Waverly isn't really in this one, Wynonna and Gus discussing stuff, i want a Gus for my very own, idk - Freeform, or maybe i wanna be a Gus when i grow up, protective!Gus is my life, we'll see i suppose
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-18
Updated: 2017-04-18
Packaged: 2018-10-19 23:14:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,290
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10650087
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/coffee_music_books/pseuds/coffee_music_books
Summary: Wynonna clears her throat and releases her glass somewhat roughly. The brown liquid sloshes, and Wynonna takes a deep breath. "Waverly, um, told me she's in love."ORWynonna is a protective older sister with a complex, and Gus is a fiercely loving guardian who wears her heart on her sleeve. And Waverly is just trying to be Waverly, with Nicole and without demons, literally and figuratively.(Written in limited third person from Gus' perspective. Because I'm trying out something new. This exists between when Willa ********SPOILER******** dies and Waverly touches the goo, which I'm making the next day or something idc)





	i know you've seen it all before (but you haven't seen the lonely side of her)

**Author's Note:**

> title taken from Lonely Side of Her by Marlon Williams
> 
> I own nothing. I'm worried for my sanity because of Wynonna Earp. Counting down the seconds until season 2 or my 3rd rewatch of season 1 this month...whichever comes first

Wynonna is staring into her glass, two fingers of whiskey that haven't gone down at all. Gus walks down the stairs leading to the loft and sees her there, just as she'd left her over half an hour ago. Since Waverly has moved out, Gus started sleeping in the loft. The change of scenery reminds her less of Curtis. Instead, she thinks of Waverly and Wynonna, two young girls the world should've just left alone. Her heart aches sometimes, late at night, for her babes.

 

Wynonna looks pensive, conflicted. Perhaps even introspective. Gus sidles up to her and slowly settles into the bar stool right beside her. Wynonna barely flinches, and Gus waits. "What's wrong, kiddo?" Gus asks when Wynonna still hasn't moved at all.

 

Wynonna clears her throat and releases her glass somewhat roughly. The brown liquid sloshes, and Wynonna takes a deep breath. "Waverly, um, told me she's in love."

  
Gus narrows her eyes. The fire-y feeling she gets in her chest when she feels threatened flares, though she does her best to temper it. She doesn't know how to defend her babies from each other; that had never been a problem. Only from themselves. "Go on," she prompts, hoping against hope that this isn't going to be what she fears it will.

 

"Willa, um-" Wynonna pauses. Her voice cracked on the 'a' of Willa's name. Gus remains still and steady, though her heart squeezes. Willa's story brings with it a sadness and blemish on Waverly and Wynonna's childhoods even she can't even understand. "Willa shot her."

 

Gus gasps, reacting quickly and harshly before she can stop herself. One hand clutches her chest above her heart, the other reaching out to squeeze Wynonna's arm. "Who did Willa shoot, Wynonna? Waverly?"

 

Wynonna seems to realize for the first time that Gus wasn't there, doesn't know the story or the outcome, who's made it and who hasn't. "No, Waverly's fine, Gus. Don't worry." Wynonna still hasn't looked at Gus, not really, though she taps the back of her hand as though to soothe. "Willa shot Nicole."

 

Gus doesn't react any better to this. "Oh my word! Is she alright? Is Waverly alright?" Gus pauses, studying Wynonna's face. She wants to ask more, but she smartly waits. Wynonna doesn't react well when pressed. But Gus has to bite her tongue. Waverly must get her excitability from her, Gus thinks.

 

"They're fine. Nicole was wearing a bulletproof vest." Gus audibly sighs. "Waverly is at the hospital with her now, but she just has some bruises. She'll be able to check out tonight."

 

Gus nods, rubbing her fingers against Wynonna's skin. "And how are you, sweetheart?" Gus's voice is low and hushed. Her body is angled so that she's facing Wynonna, but not boxing her in. She wants to make Wynonna feel safe in all the ways she knows how.

 

Wynonna seems to chew on the questions. After a short while, she takes a deep breath and says, "I honestly don't know."

 

Gus nods, though Wynonna still doesn't look at her. And she waits.

 

"Waverly was supposed to be the normal one, Gus. I tried to make sure of it." Wynonna's eyes are squeezed shut, her face twisted with the effort. "But here she is, sucked into this wormhole of pain and psychosis. She was supposed to be safe."

 

Gus furrows her eyebrows, looking at Wynonna's face hard. Surely she can't mean..."Do you mean you wish Waverly was straight?" she asks, voice tentative but firm.

 

Wynonna's eyes shoot open, and finally she's looking at Gus. No,  _glaring_ at Gus. "Oh, please," she says, "I couldn't care less  _who_ Waverly loves as long as they deserve her." Gus nods, feeling less defensive. "As long as they're not in constant danger."

 

Gus inhales deeply. "Ah," she says, nodding. "I think I understand."

 

Wynonna looks back at her glass and raps her fingertips against the bar. Gus listens to the tapping sound for a few moments, mulling Wynonna over in her mind. Waverly was so young when everything with the Earp family happened. But Wynonna was old enough to understand loss, pain, and fear. She was too young for control but quick-witted with a sharp tongue, and the restless, defensive eyes of a cornered animal. She has an edge to her and she's always poised for a fight. It must be exhausting to be coiled so tightly all of the time.

 

"Wynonna," Gus says, voice gentle. Wynonna sighs, but she makes no indication she's listening at all. Gus soldiers on anyway. "You and Waverly have been through hell and back again." Gus doesn't understand why that makes Wynonna wince so sharply. "I know you want to protect her and keep her safe. But you left when she was still so young, dear." Wynonna finally looks away from her glass, meeting Gus's eyes. "It's hard not to worry for the ones you love, but Waverly is strong, and smart, and capable. You didn't get to see her grow up, not really. But, just like you, she did."

 

Wynonna sniffles and rubs at her cheek roughly with her knuckles as though her eyes have betrayed her by crying. "I don't know how to do this." Her voice is low and cracking, and Gus smiles.

 

"Trust that she's smart enough to place her heart in a safe place, and be there for her if it turns out she's not." Gus rubs circles on the back of Wynonna's shoulder. She remembers how frightening it was when Waverly started to grow, and she understands the feeling of  _I need to protect that one_.  _That one's good_.

 

Waverly is special, that much she's sure of. But when Gus regards Wynonna, it's as though she's seeing her for the first time. Wynonna loves so fiercely and feels so deeply that she walks around like an exposed nerve, raw and electric. Gus thinks it would be overwhelming to be loved as much as Waverly is by someone like Wynonna. 

 

Gus hears the telltale sound of the door creaking open and Waverly's laugh coasting into the room. Wynonna brightens and preens as though the room has suddenly gotten brighter, and Gus thinks for a fleeting moment that they're all going to be okay.

 

Nicole is walking slowly and stiffly behind her, smiling warmly at the back of her head as Waverly gesticulates and babbles. Wynonna turns so she's facing them and opens her arms. When Waverly sees her sister she gasps and runs, nearly toppling them over with the force of her hug. Nicole follows at her own pace, and Gus can see the pain in her movements. She moves so Nicole can sit and touches a cupped palm to the crown of her head. Nicole exhales as she sits down. "You doin' alright, sweetheart?" Gus asks, watching her carefully.

 

Nicole meets Gus's eyes and smiles. "Oh, I'm fine," she says, shaking her head softly. "Just a little bit bruised. Waverly's making me feel better." Her cheeks warm with her smile as she glances over to Waverly.

 

Gus watches the three of them, Wynonna seeming to have noticed Nicole's presence and fussing in her own, decidedly lackadaisical way. Waverly's smile is wide and beaming and brilliant, eyes jumping between the two of them as though she can't even handle the amount of love she seems to be feeling. Gus begins to feel the undeniable and simple warmth of  _family_ that she hasn't felt since before Curtis passed, and she smiles. Someone must've turned on the jukebox on the other side of the room, and Gus listens to the simple tune.

 

_No one’s truly sheltered from the cold, it takes a little learning to grow old, but it helps to hold another if you can..._

 

 

 

 

 


End file.
